Unpredictable Love
by KatieLo
Summary: Tyler Hilton based love story. A true love story about finding the one in the most unexpected places.
1. First Impressions

**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to me. Though they are based on real people. The story is fiction and is not based on anything but dreams and imagination, no real events occurred unfortunately. Please enjoy and judge my story accordingly.

He strolled into a small music store on the corner of Madison. He had heard friends talking about the great acoustics you could get from renting one of the sound proof rooms. He had a Friday night to kill and wanted to try out playing somewhere different.

He walked up to the crowded counter. It was covered with different promotional pictures and colorful flyers. From hip hop to blues, seemed to have it all. There was an interesting redhead girl sitting behind the counter. She had mega headphones on and seemed into her music, while reading a teen magazine with Buffy The Vampire Slayer special edition posted on the cover.

"Excuse me," he said quietly not really sure what to do or say.

The girl just kept listening to her music not even looking up to notice him. She had on large headphones and head jamming to whatever it was flowing into her ears.

"Umm...," he looked around and no one was there. "Excuse me," he asked a little louder, but yet the girl just kept on jamming away, fully into the music, eyes closed.

"OK...EXCUSE ME," he yelled, throwing his hands up a bit, hoping to cause some disturbance into being noticed.

"Oh," she answered looking a bit surprised and embarrassed. Her eyes shifted from her magazine to her CD player and to this guy. "Sorry about that...do you need something," she asked sweetly, trying to regain her embarrassment. Her face was bright red, she was sure of it.

"Oh yeah. My friends told me about this place and the great acoustic rooms. So could I rent one?"

"Sure," she gazed at him, not realizing till now how unbelievable cute this guy was. She quickly typed something in a computer. "So I'm going on a guess here, but this is your first time here."

"Yeah. I taught myself how to play guitar and I really need somewhere better than my room to practice writing. There's too many distractions there," he held up the case for her to see over the counter.

She leaned over and took a peek. This guitar case had millions of stickers covering it. Some were of radio station logos and others were just clever sayings. "It's not in the policy, but the new customers get to rent the room on the house."

"You sure? I don't mind paying or anything."

"No, you seem harmless," she stated right back at him.

"Promise, I don't have any weapons."

She laughed at his little joke. "I'm Katie," she reached out her hand to his.

He put down his guitar and returned the shake, "Tyler."

"How'd you get into playing?"

"People have always told me that I looked like Elvis. I even won the award for it in school."

"The looking like Elvis award? That's a special one." Katie said, teasing him a bit.

"Yes, and it's a prized award, many children become victims of stage mothers during the process. It was the Elvis lookalike contest of 2001. It included pies and ribbons."

"You can't go wrong with pies or ribbons."

"So one day I got bored and picked up my father's guitar, then I dropped it. I bought a new used one just for myself and it came with this case, decorated it myself."

"Martha Stewart would be jealous."

He returned a half heartened smile.

She continued ,"awesome, well here's the key to the room, and I'll bring you something to drink...you want anything."

"You don't have too."

"Oh I was going to go get myself something, so hey why not, no one else is here to buy for."

"A water would be great...thanks"

"Not a problem," she said, returning her gaze to his eyes. He had on dark thick glasses which brought out the color in his eyes.

Their eyes met and they smiled. Katie came out of her daze first.

"Here let me show you where it's at."

She led him through one door labeled 'Special Only.'

He pointed at the sign, "so only special people allowed?"

"I was bored and 'employees only, so get out if you aren't' sounded much more harsh."

Katie tried the first key and didn't work. She jammed in the second one and laughed at herself, but surprisingly the door sprang open. She looked at it awkwardly. "There you go."

She opened the door wider and turned on a floor lamp that soon flooded the room with a soft light. She walked over to a speaker and flipped the off switch to read on. Then went out of the room and came back with a stool. "Is this ok?"

"Yeah that's fine." He smiled at her.

"All right, I'm going to go get the drinks."

"K, I'll be right here."

"Of course you will." She walked away and then stood in the doorway watching him set up. First unlock his guitar case and pick it up. Then plugging the guitar in, and turning around and seeing her watching him. He fiddled with his glasses before seeing Katie standing still in the doorway.

Katie realized this. "Ok I'm going to go." She waved quickly and left.

She closed the door that had "Special Only" appearing on it and pushed up against a wall. She had to count and remind herself of how to breathe, in and out. Music started flowing from the walls so she left to get the drinks.

About 15 minutes later, Katie came into the music shop carrying cold waters in her hand and opened the unlocked door. A bell jingled when the door swung open..

She was muttering to herself, "cold, cold, cold." She closed the door with her leg and threw the drinks down on the counter. One of them burst open. She tried to catch it and stop the massive flood but unfortunately the water spilled on about a fourth of the promo flyers. "Crap."

Tyler came walking through the door to the rooms. "Hey, let me help you out."

"Oh how much more help you would have been if you got here a minute sooner."

"Well let me help you clean up," he insisted.

Before she got a word in, he'd found a washcloth and started throwing soaked flyers away. She picked up a cloth from under the counter and began moving the two categories into piles, keep and throw away. Also wipping down wet counters. Tyler added his keep stack to hers.

They continued talking during their cleanup.

Katie began with a question, "So are you in high school or college?"

"I hope to go to college sometime, unless something better comes up, but right now just a high school student. I go to Santa Barbara High. And how about you? Any college in you."

"Oh no, though like you I have goals and ambitions to attend college in my life unless something more important happens to come up before then. I go to Moore."

"Oh, we're rivals you know."

"Yes, someone please pass me the knife so I can cut some tension. I'm running low on cutlery."

He looked up from sorting piles and set them aside. Leaning over the counter he asked her, "Truth or dare."

She sat her's down and leaned over to him."Ok, I might be in high school but that doesn't mean I play games." She sat back up and went back to sorting piles.

"It's a simple question, truth or dare?"

"You make it sound easy," she contemplative and replied back with a ,"truth," with a serious one tonal voice.

"See now all of the safe people choose truth, just so they don't have to accomplish the wacky dare."

She interrupted him, " I thought you were going to give me a question to answer truthfully and not just analyze my choice between the two. Because yes, unlike some I don't like doing wild and crazy things that usually leads to more embarrasment than you walking up on a girl into her music."

"Why does that have anything to do with picking a dare?"

"You might have asked me to run outside in the rain and scream something that's funny to you, making me look like an idiot...so just ask me my question and I promise that I will answer the truth."

"You promise?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Well, for the long hour of knowing you, no you haven't lied to me."

"And what an hour it's been. I should write a book about it. That's what all the cool kids are doing."

This time he did the interrupting ,"do you want your question or not?"

"Just ask me."


	2. Shock and Awe

Tyler answered back slowly, "So I can ask you...anything...even personal?"

She still sat there not offended by the warning or anything, but just really anxious to answer whatever question this was.

She answered quickly, "good, nothing can be too personal. Ask me the question."

"K, how many times have you been in love?"

"Fallen in love? Or been in love?"

"Either."

"First of all, I do watch Dawson's Creek and seen this episode but I will answer it honestly and truthfully." She sighed heavily. " I've almost been there on both of them, but haven't exactly gotten a place where I am comfortable enough telling someone that they are my world and how much I love them. It's mostly just a personal demon that I have within myself."

He started clapping and she glanced down smiling to no end.

"That was remarkable. For one you knew the question was taken from a Dawson's Creek episode and you answered it truthfully"

"So your making fun of me?" Katie looked up quickly as she pierced his eyes with hers.

He mouthed without saying anything, "no, I'm not."

She looked down once again and then flashed a mischevious smile at him, "oh no, no no no, your not getting off that easy."

"I'm not?"

They both exchanged a gentle laugh.

"No, your not. The games truth or dare and now that it's my turn," she turned to face him directly, "truth or dare...your whole life may depend on it."

"Good to know we're not being serious or anything...dare"

"Dare? But wait does this mean that you have spontinaity?"

"Save the analyzing, that's my thing. What's my dare?" She laughed in a mocking way to his stab of sparring.

"Hmm...," she thought about it for a second and walked from her side of the counter right over in front of him while acting as if she was thinking really hard. " I dare you to..., this is the part where the lights dim and dark beat music plays in the background."

He kept just nodding at her.

"Fine, I dare you to...play me a song!" Her face lit up as she said it. She had wanted to ask earlier but this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

"Play you a song? On my guitar?"

"No, on your flute, yes your guitar! I've wanted to ask all night but this was just the perfect dare, be glad that I didn't make you do something embarassing."

They both started to retreat to the sound room in the back as they keep talking about random things.

"Your going to be the first person I've played for besides my dog."

"What a lucky dog. And you'll do fine, I don't criticize, specially when all I can do is sing and maybe tune a guitar."

"Maybe I'll show you sometime."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"Alright," he sat down on a worn out stoll and Katie sat up on a small counter that was attached to the wall.

"This ones called 'Not Getting Your Name'," he picked up his guitar and fiddled with the strings a bit and started his song.

_Hello Miss... I'm sorry I didn't catch the rest  
When it comes to women, baby, you know I'm not the best  
Everyone I see makes it matter less anymore  
Then again I've never felt this way before_

_And girl I don't know you so I walked away  
Just goes to show you I should have got a name  
To go with a face that I'll never forget  
Deep in my heart I'll always regret  
Not getting your name  
Not getting your name_

_Well I tried to be cool but your smile took me out  
I tried to be slick but I was just a fool standin around  
I hope this is the first song that your heart has ever really heard  
Cause I wrote the music, baby you wrote the words_

_I shouldn't have let ya' if I hadn't of met ya'  
Do this on the day I'm leaving  
But now that you got me your everything baby  
I haven't stopped believing, no no  
Not getting your name  
Not getting your name_

_I'm looking for forever always  
In the sky and on the bi-ways  
I don't care how I look to the rest_

_I'll walk away and pretend my thoughts are over  
Man, what would it be like if I was some kind of Casanova  
Romeo even knew he had the touch  
I'm no star crossed lover, baby just plain in love_

_And baby it's true that it could be you  
I'm thinking about while I'm singing  
And if you can help being all by yourself  
Make my phone start ringing  
Not getting your name_

While this was going on, all she could do was stare at him with amazement She even forgot to breathe a few times. He has his life on track and knows something good that he can do, and he seems happy to be doing it. She bent her legs towards her and bit her lip listening to the words. A few times the thought that he might be singing about someone like her crossed her mind maybe once or twice. She felt he was singing to her.

He ended the song with a sort fade out strum. The room was silent except for the rain pouring hard on the roof. She wasn't sure what to believe.

"Are you sure there isn't a tape set up here and your not lip syncing?" Katie broke the silence, a hint of amazement in her tone.

"I'm real. I played, so now honest opinion."

"Honest opinion? You rock, what else can I say but you rock." Katie felt so amazed, like someone had just opened her eyes to the world.

"You really think so?" Tyler asked questioning whether she was being serious or joking around.

"Yes I truly do! And I apologize for this being so soon or what not, but would you like to come with me to a open mic night? I mean you don't have to play or anything but I really need someone to come with me since out of the two people I'm close with are always busy. Oh, I think it's next weekend over at Cafe Joe but I'm not that sure." She asked him quickly. "But if you don't want to go, I understand."

Before he could answer the quick invite, there was a loud honk that traveled it's way to the room.

Tyler was the first to notice, "do you hear that or am I just crazy?"

"You are crazy and hear what?"

The horn honked again this time, but much louder.

"What" she sounded puzzled. She looked over at Tyler and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Katie...Kaaaattttiiiieee. Where are you?" a male voice followed the ring of the front door bell to the backroom.

"I'm back here!" she called loudly, trying to be heard over the pounding rain.

A tall guy fled into the backroom. "I thought this place back here gave you the creeps."

"I um... got over it." she smiled sweetly at him.

The guy turned to Katie, "I thought we were going to hang out later after the store closed."

"I'm sorry David, I just got all caught up you know how I am."

David realized that there was another guy in the room. He stuck out his hand to Tyler," hey I'm David."

Tyler was feeling crushed inside but still forced out a warm hello ,"Tyler, hey how's it going?"

"Good good," he answered back confused as to why his girlfriend was in the back room with a guy. He rocked back and forth with hands in pockets. Tyler noticed one of them though was holding Katie's hand.

Awkward silence began; Katie could sense the weird vibe so she broke it up really quickly ," I just need to lock up and I'll be good to go."

David told her Ok and kissed her forehead and let go of her hand at the very last second he could possibly hang on till.

Katie turned around to face Tyler and forced out a smile. "He's my..."

"...boyfriend," he answered her sentence. He couldn't believe it. Utter shock had hit him, and it hurt.

"Just come back sometime around the week and we'll figure out the open mic thing."

"Sure, I'll just pack up and get going." He started unplugging his guitar and putting it back in it's place as she left the room in a hurry.

"Great," she knew she was short with him but this isn't the way she wanted him to find out about her boyfriend. She didn't think it was such a big deal to tell him when they hung out for just a short time. She was used to people running out and changing before her eyes. This is why she hadn't said anything to Tyler about David, she didn't want to seem vulnerable for failure. She knew it was ok, but in her head she was trying to reassure herself.

She walked herself up to the front cashier to close up real quick. A few minutes later Tyler appeared from the back, he was walking with guitar in hand and wiping off his glasses with the other.

"I turned off the lights and all the equipment. Thanks for everything."

She walked him to the door,"No problem." She shut the door behind him and sighed loudly. As she waved to Jack and put up three fingers to symbolize three minutes left, out of the corner of her eye she watched Tyler jump in his car and pull away from a parking space.

As he backed out into the open empty street, she still watched him. The streetlight lit up his face as he sped past it and drove off. David honked again and Katie grabbed her coat, turned off the main light, and rushed outside. She tried to open the passanger door and then guestured at David to open the door.

"Sorry about that." he said apologizing to her.

"Don't worry, I'd get soaked no matter what."

"What are we going to do tonight?"

"It doesn't matter to me."

"Let's get some hot chocolate and then go chill at my house."

"Sounds fine." She wasn't very interested in the rest of the night. The main event had already happened and nothing could top that. She was aware and it scared her.


	3. Timing Makes a Difference

**Chapter Three**

_Timing Makes A Difference_

A few days past. Days seemed like years to Katie and she wanted patiently everyday at the music shop for him to walk in. Every customer who walked in was greeted with a curious girl who was anxious, but she kept being dissapointed.

Around noon on Thursday afternoon, Katie was just in the back room fiddling with a spare guitar that the owner leaves in the back for just anyone who wants to play it. She was strumming a few chords and liked how they all sounded together.

The door bell rang. Katie set down the guitar and came walking into the front of the store. She halted her steps right when she saw who was in front of her. The element of surprise.

Standing there was Tyler. Still with his glasses and his guitar case. He smiled at her. She tried to keep her emotion from appearing on her face. Her mind was racing, she didn't think she'd see him again.

"Hi." Tyler's voice sounded warm and familiar in her ears.

"Hi" She answered him back softly.

"So..." Tyler felt so glad to finally see her again. He had to wait so long in the week because he didn't want to seem so clingy. Thursday was a good day to come back, just the right amount of time. He missed her face though and the warmth of her smile.

"So..." She answered him again.

They both were standing still and looking directly at each other. Neither of them moving.

A short fat man pushed Tyler aside rudely. "Mam, can I please be checked out now?"

"Oh yeah, sure."

Tyler rolled his eyes behind the man's back. Katie saw this as she was ringing up the items. She tried so hard to hold in a laugh, but one came out. The man just starred at her angrily.

"I'm sorry about that sir, I was remebering a funny joke that my father told my brother told me earlier today. Umm...would you like to hear it?"

"That would be a delight."

"Alrighty, K so there was this boy right. And he had a cow. Or was it a goat? Or maybe it was a horse! Yes a horse!"

While she made a huge fool of herself, the man just looked at her more angry than before. She could read his face and interuptted her bad telling of the joke.

"Sorry, stand up comedy just isn't something I should do. Is it?"

"I see." He wobbled his way to the door.

"Please come again!" Katie yelled out at him, but he mad had already left the premiscenec.

Tyler stepped forward to the counter when Katie was just sitting back down after standing up to yell at the man. He set down his guitar and seated himself on a stool.

"I think you were right the first time with the cow." He laughed softly.

She glared at him, "don't tease me."

She picked up a magazine and acted like she was thumbing through it. Really she just couldn't look at him. Inside her head was racing.

"So..." He started up the conversation.

"K we've been through this part, let's just skip ahead as to why you waited so long to come. I was going to invite someone else."

"Sorry, I've been busy...I still do want to go don't get me wrong. And I've decided to bring my guitar incase I do have a sudden urge to play.

"It's ok, I understand. But you so should play! Well only if you are comfortable enough, no pressure at all." Her spirits were lifted completely.

"Also can I rent a room?"

"Yeah but this time your gonna have to pay for it. It's only $2.50 deposit. I think you can possibly manage."

"Just might be able to squeak by."

He dug in his wallet and counted out exact change. Then he passed her the money. Their hands touched for a few seconds. The collision sent chills up and down both of their spines.

"You know you can have the room for as long as you want." She informed him.

"Good I was looking for a place to crash tonight."

"I'm sure." She passed him a key and he went on his way to the back. After he had disappeared to the back, goosebumps formed on her arms. She couldn't stop smiling. He had come back, he didn't forget about her, and they still had that special connection that only comes every once and awhile to the lucky.

Light turned to dark and Katie made the rounds around the store turning on lamps placed in strategic places and washing off the few tables in the building. By the time people didn't really come into the store. The busiest hours were late afternoon, the place looked deserted after 7 o'clock.

She could hear Tyler practicing some song. She couldn't make out the lyrics though. So first she glanced around the store and saw that no one was in there, and then she quietly snuck to the back.

The music grew louder everytime she took a few steps closer. As she stood right behind the wall where he was, she heard what sounded like to be a chorus.

_It's only love and that is all_

_Why should I feel the way I do?_

_It's only love, and that is all_

_But it's so hard loving you_

Just as he was finished she turned the knob adn stepped in, the door shut with a soft click.

"Knock knock," she called out at him just as he finished his song. He was sitting and had his back to her.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that, that's how some get shot." He turned around slowly in his stool till he directly faced her.

"Some people also get shot by being in a gas station."

"You know I wasn't serious."

"Yeah I know."

Katie sighed shortly. Tyler looked down at his guitar and played a short string.

Their eyes met but shifted quickly.

Tyler asked her, "So what's the info on this concert thing?"

"Oh right, that's why you came by in the first place."

"Yes and no." He muttered to himself, Katie never heard this comment.

"K well the concert is tomorrow night at Joe's cafe shop, the one three blocks down. It's the two story building with the open roof. Anyway, I thought we could met here at say 6 and head over there together after that."

"6 might be a little too early for me, say 6:01?" He suggested to her.

"6:01 sounds great. But now if you come late at 6:02 then I might have to bail on you and not go."

"I promise no later than 6:01 and I'll be here."

"Awesome."

"Do I need to leave? Are you going to lock up soon?" He didn't want to keep her there all night.

"I was, but your too kind so I'll let you stay as long as you want."

"Which translates too...?"

"8."

"Thanks," he smiled lightly.

"I'm nice since your going with me. Thank you for that...and I have some school work that I need to finish. So I'll be in the front. Yell if you need me or if some killer comes in and tries to kill you, since if they sneak up on you they can get shot."

"True." He laughed at her joke.

"So I'll see you tomorrow night then." She wanted to make sure that this time he would show up.

"Unless something better comes up, which it won't so yes I'll see you tomorrow night then."

"K I'll leave you alone now."

She began to leave but Tyler blurted out ,"You don't have to leave me alone. I like singing for someone opposed to just singing to myself."

"Then I'll stay."

She walked back over to him and he began to play again, she just smiled to herself. Why was he so special?


End file.
